A Passover Seder table. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

In just a few days, Jewish families around the world will gather around the Seder table, read the Haggadah, eat matzah and maror, and join their children in singing “Ma Nishtana” with joy and pride.

Passover, the Festival of Freedom, returns each year to remind us not only of where we came from, but also of where we hope to go — from darkness to light, from slavery to redemption, from division to a shared destiny.

But this year, the feeling is different.

Israel remains at war, primarily in the south, following the brutal October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. Thousands have been killed or wounded. Families are still reeling, and approximately 60 hostages remain in Gaza. The nation is struggling — not only in the battlefield but also in the court of public opinion, in the halls of government, and in the hearts of its people.

While external threats are clear and present, the internal ones may be even more dangerous. Israeli society is deeply divided. Arguments rage over democracy, the judiciary, national leadership, the rule of law, and the cost — moral and political — of securing the hostages’ return. Public discourse has grown more heated. Protests, political polarization, and harsh rhetoric are replacing mutual responsibility and national solidarity.

It is precisely at such a moment that Passover calls on us to pause and to look inward. Not toward our political opponents, but toward ourselves. What do we want to remember? What kind of people do we want to be?

We left Egypt as a “mixed multitude,” but redemption came only when the Jewish people united around a common purpose. They were no longer scattered tribes, but B’nei Yisrael — the children of Israel — who walked together through the wilderness with faith, courage, and shared vision.

The Haggadah teaches: “In every generation, a person must see themselves as if they personally left Egypt.” This is more than a historical reflection — it is a call to action. Each of us must strive to leave behind the “slaveries” that bind us: hatred, hostility, fear, and alienation.

Passover reminds us that true freedom is not merely physica — it is moral. It depends on our ability to listen, to respect, and to recognize that even in disagreement, we are all part of the same family.

Whether you are in New York, Berlin, Manila, or Jerusalem, our concern for the Jewish people is one and the same. At this fragile time, we cannot afford to lose our sense of solidarity.

So, when our children ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” perhaps we can answer: Because tonight, we chose to look not only to our past, but to our future. A future in which we all step out of our personal and national Egypts, and walk together, once more, toward renewed freedom.

Wishing you and your families a meaningful, unified, and redemptive Passover.

Itamar Tzur is the author of The Invention of the Palestinian Narrative, and an Israeli scholar specializing in Middle Eastern history. He holds a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Jewish History and a Master’s degree with honors in Middle Eastern studies. As a senior member of the “Forum Kedem for Middle Eastern Studies and Public Diplomacy,” he leverages his academic expertise to deepen understanding of regional dynamics and historical contexts.

The post From Egypt to Today: A Passover of Jewish Unity first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen speaks during a press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis at the Foreign Ministry in Athens, Greece, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi

The March 2025 visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Israel demonstrates the interest of both countries in further elevating their strategic partnership. Mitsotakis last visited the Jewish State toward the end of October 2023, two weeks after Hamas’s massive terrorist attack on Israel. On his more recent visit, Mitsotakis reiterated the urgency of releasing the hostages. Greece continues to regularly make symbolic gestures of solidarity and sympathy with Israel. On March 25, for instance, Greece’s Embassy in Israel chose the dining room of Kibbutz Be’eri to celebrate the country’s national day.

Both President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the Greek leader, calling him a “good friend.” Although Greece’s attitude after October 7 has been rather balanced, the country has not wavered in its recognition of Israel’s right to self-defense and understands both Israel’s complex security environment and the pain caused by terror. In an emotional moment, Herzog and Mitsotakis discussed plans to launch an academic scholarship program in memory of Ionas Karussis, a young architecture student who was murdered by terrorists in October 2024 in Jaffa. His parents were invited to the meeting by the Israeli president.

The visit of the Greek PM to Israel was the culmination of a broader diplomatic initiative. In early February, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetris went to Jerusalem, and a few weeks later, his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar flew to Athens. Defense cooperation was very much on the agenda. Mitsotakis’s visit included a strategic meeting with the Directorate for International Defense Cooperation (SIBAT) of Israel’s Ministry of Defense that was attended by key executives from Israel’s defense industry. They included Boaz Levy from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Yoav Turgeman from Rafael, and Miki Edelstein from Elbit Systems.

All three of these companies – IAI, Rafael and Elbit Systems – have been active in Greece. IAI acquired Greek company Intracom Defense for a reported figure of approximately €60 million. Rafael supplied SPIKE Missiles to Greece, an agreement valued at approximately €370 million. Elbit Systems is the primary contractor managing technical operations and refining the training infrastructure of a modern Greek air force base in Kalamata, Peloponnese. The deal is worth a reported $1.65 billion.

New arms deals are possible. The Greek government’s objectives include the development of an anti-aircraft and missile defense system for Greece that is similar to Iron Dome and the acquisition of PULS rocket launchers by Elbit Systems. While discussions progress, the two countries are engaging in joint military training. Although Israel is still fighting wars on multiple fronts, it is participating (through mid-April) with G-550 aircraft in the multinational air exercise Iniochos hosted at the Andravida airbase in Western Greece.

There are other areas where Israeli experience might be useful for Greece. In 2016, Shimon Peres proposed to then-premier Alexis Tsipras that the obligatory military service of Greek men be used to support national research. The proposal has not yet materialized. Further to this, the Greek army can study how the IDF has incorporated soldiers with autism within Unit 9990 and perhaps employ a similar methodology in the future.

In strategic parlance, Greece and Israel lack an identical perception of threats. Greek strategy naturally prioritizes Turkey. Israel is not ignoring the Turkish factor but has more urgent issues to address, including terrorist organizations and Iran.

While the formation of a Greek-Israeli military alliance per se seems unlikely, deeper cooperation is in the interests of both. Such cooperation is also an American interest. The Trump administration is currently engaged in other diplomatic and military initiatives but is expected at some point to look favorably on the 3+1 mechanism (with the participation of the Republic of Cyprus).

Good relations with Israel have become crucial to the design of Greek foreign and military policy. All the mainstream parties in Greece, irrespective of their political ideology, agree on the necessity of further improving bilateral ties. A 2024 survey conducted by the European Leadership Network showed that the majority of parliamentarians in Greece (and in the Republic of Cyprus) favored not only closer relations with Israel but also a deepening cooperation between Israel and NATO.

Fifteen years have passed since the historic visit of then Greek premier George Papandreou to Jerusalem. His meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu was a gamechanger for Eastern Mediterranean affairs. The practical results of the synergies between the countries overcame decades of stereotypes and mistrust. Premier Mitsotakis is reinforcing this trend, and his recent visit to Israel was a reflection of his determination in this regard.

Dr. George N. Tzogopoulos is a BESA contributor, a lecturer at the European Institute of Nice (CIFE) and at the Democritus University of Thrace, and a Senior Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy. A version of this article was originally published by The BESA Center.

The post Why Greece Is Looking Forward to Strengthening Ties with Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Israeli soldiers guard along a fence leading to Judea and Samaria, as part of search efforts to capture six Palestinian terrorists who escaped from Gilboa Prison earlier this week, by the village of Muqeibila in northern Israel, September 9, 2021. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo

Upon Israel’s release of Palestinian terrorists from prison as part of the recent exchange deal with Hamas to free Israeli hostages, the PLO has continued to honor these murderers and terrorists.

One of the Palestinian Authority (PA)/PLO gestures toward the released terrorists — in addition to the generous “Pay-for-Slay” salaries they have been receiving throughout their imprisonment — is jobs. And not just ordinary jobs, but “employment in international civilian and military institutions in the service of their homeland and people,” according to the PLO itself:

Posted text: “… Emphasis was also placed on the prisoners’ full rights that are inviolable, the importance of their contribution to the reorganization of the internal situation of the [Fatah] Movement, and their employment in international civilian and military institutions in the service of their homeland and people.” [emphasis added]

[PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, Facebook page, March 9, 2025]

Palestinian Media Watch has exposed senior PA leaders’ warm welcome of the released terrorists and the many benefits they receive, including release grants from PA leader Mahmoud Abbas.

The glorification of the released “heroes” continues. Earlier this month, PA and Fatah leaders met with released terrorists for iftar — the Ramadan fast-breaking meal — during which they stressed their “appreciation for these heroes,” gifting them with “honorary plaques”:

“Attending the meal were Fatah Central Committee member and [Fatah] Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul ‘Abu Jihad,’ [Fatah] Central Committee member [and former PA Prime Minister] Muhammad Shtayyeh, Nablus [District] Governor Ghassan Daghlas, and Nablus Mayor Husam Al-Shakhshir…

Speeches were delivered that emphasized the leadership’s appreciation for these heroes who sacrificed their youth and the years of their lives while defending their mighty people’s honor and freedom.

Finally, honorary plaques were granted to the heroic released prisoners of whom we are proud.

Freedom to our heroic prisoners.” [emphasis added]

[PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs – Nablus Directorate, Facebook page, March 20, 2025]

Ramallah Governor Laila Ghannam, who is a known supporter of terrorists, has been active welcoming released terrorists, and she also met with released prisoner Hatem Al-Jayousi who was serving 6 life sentences for his involvement in the murder of six people:

Posted text: “With honor and pride, I received released prisoner Hatem Al-Jayousi who embraced freedom after 22 years of imprisonment in the occupation’s [i.e., Israel’s] prisons, where he served a sentence of 6 life imprisonments.”

[Ramallah and El-Bireh District Governor Laila Ghannam, Facebook page, March 16, 2025]

The author is a senior analyst at Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article was originally published.

The post What’s New? The PLO Promises Jobs to Released Terrorists first appeared on Algemeiner.com.